22 FLIGHT International, 2 January 1964
Letters
Letters for these columns are welcomed, though "Flight Inter-
national" does not necessarily endorse the views expressed.
Name and address should be given, not necessarily for publication
in full. Brief letters will have a better chance of early publication.
Press Sensationalism
SIR,—At a time when the airlines of this country are trying
to attract more passenger traffic, and the aircraft industry
to sell their "bus stop" jets, why must they fight against the
outdated sensational attitude of the popular press, and for
that matter, the high rate of mental instability found in the
ranks of "television aircrew?"
The particular front page item that triggered this little
outburst was headed:—
Accident Prevention
SIR,—Much has been written lately about the causes and
prevention of aircraft hitting the ground. Here are a few
points concerning the prevention and detection of human
and other errors which cause many of these accidents.
The incidence of human error in navigation may depend
on the method of presentation of the current navigational
information on the instrument panels on the flight deck.
For instance, ILS cross needles with small failure-warning
flags may (or may not) be more liable to misinterpretation
than a full integrated flight system with situation display
and demand indicator and with conspicuous warning flags;
but the latter may be more liable to human faults in setting
up the equipment, since it may need as many as seven
actions to prepare it for use.
The incidence of human error in navigation may also
depend on the allocation of tasks to the crew members and
on the degree of mutual monitoring. The following questions
may be important:
(a) What is the relative rank, status and degree of training of
the crew members and under what conditions may they
exchange duties?
(b) Does one pilot do both the instrument and visual part
of an approach and landing?
c) Has the co-pilot explicit instructions to monitor the
flight instruments after take-off and on descent and approach ?
(d) Has the navigator (if any) explicit responsibility for
terrain clearance from take-off to touchdown?
These human factors might be examined by a body such
as the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Farnborough.
Several accidents have occurred with either (i) a very
inexperienced first officer or (ii) co-pilot in left-hand seat,
or (iii) both pilots captains. Statistics might show whether
these circumstances are coincidental or causal.
Once a dangerous mistake has been made, a reliable
direct warning of the proximity of ground ahead, given at
the time, would seem the best method of combating the
human or other error. If the TSR.2 can fly at supersonic
speeds very close to the ground and avoid it safely by means
of its terrain-clearance radar, perhaps a cheap "box of
magic." similar but simpler, could be developed for civil
aircraft.
J. D. PROCTOR,
(Captain)
[Although relative crew status is very probably taken into
account during individual accident inquiries, a statistical
analysis of this factor would indeed be interesting. As for the
terrain avoidance radar, it seems highly unlikely that the
airlines would accept the cost and maintenance burden of
even the relatively lightweight but untried systems available.—
Ed] ......
27 FLEE FROM BLUING AIRLINER
It continued by giving the impression that these fortunate
persons managed to escape from the aircraft just before it
was enveloped in flames. However, the final paragraph told
us that ". . . Five of the passengers refused to reboard the
airliner two hours later after the fault had been repaired."
Confronted with what must have been a charred wreck, the
other 22 passengers must have been mad!
BoscomeDown, Wilts B. DAVTES, LIEUTENANT RN
Ten-channel D.H.9
SIR,—In the issue of Flight International dated June 15, 1961,
you published a photograph of my radio-controlled flying
scale model of the Sopwith 1 ^-Strutter.
Having noted your interest, I now enclose a photograph
of my recently completed D.H.9. The model is built to
l/6th scale, giving a span of 6ft. Weight is 71b and power
supplied by a glow-plug ignition engine of 7c.c. capacity.
The ten-channel radio gear, having a range of approxi-
mately one mile, provides selective and simultaneous control
of rudder, ailerons, elevator, trim elevator, and progressive
throttle settings.
Sutton Coldfield, Warwicks D. E. THUMPSTON
Slow Comfort v Fast Danger?
SIR,—As a customer of the aircraft industry (I fly many
thousands of miles a year in the way of business), I naturally
do not feel elated to discover that the very latest in transport
aircraft is just as vulnerable as any of its predecessors.
Arising out of this, I am compelled to wonder whether
designers and operators should not be constrained by suitable
Ministry instructions to devote their efforts to making
aircraft safer rather than quicker.
With regard to modern jet aircraft being quicker, it is of
course true enough that flight times are considerably
reduced. It is only this factor that makes the journeys
bearable, for I can imagine nothing more uncomfortable
than the seating arrangements in the tourist cabin of a jet
liner. This so-called high-density seating is almost an insult
to the passengers, the majority of whom board the plane
with apprehension and leave it with a sigh of relief. In
contrast to this I can remember actually enjoying my flights
in DC-6s and similar aircraft. Plenty of room to stretch one's
legs, a leisurely service of meals (instead of a tray thrust
under one's nose) and even an opportunity to see the ground
and enjoy the scenery. And best of all perhaps, no feeling
of inferiority on being herded into a tourist compartment
after watching others having VIP pretensions (or more
ample expense accounts) marching with lordly gait to the
first-class entrance.
The penalty one paid for all this was that it took, say,
six hours to fly from Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires as against
two hours now. One must also admit that at times one had
rather too good a view of the Andes when flying from
Not quite what it seems to be. This D.H.9, apparently in full
rirst World War fighting trim, is actually a radio-controlled
model, described in a letter on th/j page